Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells to destroy their ability to reproduce. There are two main types of radiation therapy: external beam radiation therapy which uses a machine to aim radiation at the tumor from outside the body, and internal radiation therapy which places radioactive material inside the body at the tumor site. Radiation therapy damages cancer cell DNA and kills cells or slows their growth, while normal cells can usually repair themselves. Common side effects include skin irritation at the treatment site but radiation does not cause pain during treatment. Radiation therapy is often used with other treatments like surgery and may be given before, during or after to improve treatment effectiveness.